From a Papa
by Gilly Jill
Summary: It's Maka's sixteenth birthday, and Soul and Maka recieve two letters from a certain red-haired death scythe, revealing his feelings about Maka and Soul's situation together. SoMa Oneshot


_Dear Maka,_

_ It's your 16__th__ birthday. No, I didn't forget. Your Papa will never forget the day you came into his life. _

_You've grown so much, it pains me to remember the years when you were so innocent. The days before I messed up, big time. Do you remember when I used to hold you in my arms and sing? You had this look on your face the first time I did it that I'll never forget. You looked horrified and enchanted at the same time._

_And then, I also remember the day you came home from school asking why I was kissing another woman other than your Mommy. How I explained to you that she was just a friend, a coworker. I knew you didn't believe me, because you looked just like your mother does when she was upset. _

_I didn't see you again for the rest of the day. I felt like a failure for the rest of the week._

_But I know you don't want to hear that. Don't put down this letter just yet, because there's something else that I want to tell you._

_When you first came to the academy, I thought for sure that I might be able to get you to love me again. I thought that I could impress you with what I do for a living, thought I could be the "Cool Dad" that you would talk to your friends about with shining eyes. _

_I didn't know I was about to lose you to someone else._

_You didn't have a partner yet, that first day. I remember you walking out of the house, that determined gleam in your eyes, determined to find yourself a partner who would put me to shame. _

_I expected you to pick a person who was caring and compassionate. I expected someone who was smart and well-read. _

_But most of all, I expected you to pick a girl as your partner._

_Soul Eater Evans was not any of these things. _

_But you know that._

_I was confused, terribly confused that you had picked him as a partner. After all, you had told me just the afternoon before that all men were scumbags, wanting nothing but pretty women and pleasure._

_And it wasn't like I exactly liked him either. _

_He was defiant. Rude. He cursed like a sailor. He was mean. Angry with the world. _

_It was then that I knew that I'd lost you to him. He won a game that he didn't even know he was playing. _

_I almost asked you why you chose him in person, but I decided that you couldn't have chosen him for no reason. So I waited for him to prove himself._

_At first, I was sure he wasn't going to be anything besides the rude, perverted boy that I saw on the outside. But then I realized that I was observing the wrong thing. I was only observing him, when I really needed to observe the two of you together._

_So I did that. And what did I find?_

_I found that I was wrong, again. When I watched you two working together, I saw your mother and I as kids your age. I saw you laughing when he made jokes; saw his grin when you laughed. Even when you argued, I could tell that you were closer than just friends. You two completed each other. What he lacked, you made up for and vice versa._

_And, although I hated to admit it, you two were soul mates._

_Yes, I had lost you forever. To a boy who wears headbands. It hurt, but somehow I knew you were in good hands._

_After all, I had been in Soul's position before. I knew what he was going through. I knew that he would do anything for you._

_I know that, because it was the same way I felt about your mother when we were kids. _

_It's because of that knowledge that when Stein and I went to help you and Soul fight Crona, I wasn't worried. Perhaps a little, but I was comforted by the fact that you and Soul were the two closest people that I had ever met._

_It's because of that that I still regret the doubts I had about Soul at first. Without him, I would have lost you years ago._

_And, I'm thankful of that._

_Happy Birthday, Maka. Please, for me, keep him close. I think it's the best for the both of you._

_Also, give the other letter in this envelope to him. I need to tell him some things too._

_Love, _

_Your Papa_

_Soul,_

_ Thanks. I owe a lot to you. I know you hate me as much as Maka does-and you have a reason to. But, there's something I have to say to you, and you better pay attention._

_I need you to understand something, Evans. _

_You and I have something in common. You remind me of myself when I was your age, determined to be a death scythe, and also determined to protect my meister. Maybe you don't know, but Maka depends on you in the same way that I know you depend on her._

_Unfortunately for me, I messed things up with Kami years ago. I'll never get her back, and I'll never get Maka back either. That's why I need to tell you this so you don't do things you'll regret in the future._

_Maka is a sensitive girl. I've known that from the moment I first noticed how much she looked and acted like her mother. She may look and act tough, but no matter what you do, she won't forgive you if you cheat her feelings. I know that, for now, you two are inseparable, but things can change._

_Things can change fast._

_Don't mess up. Don't lose her like I lost her and her mother._

_Because if you hurt her, Soul Eater Evans, I swear to Shinigami that I'll make you regret it._

_And this time, I'm not going back on my promises_

_Think about it,_

_Death Scythe_

Soul put down the letter on his lap, staring at the door that lead out from his room into the kitchen. He knew that just beyond it was Maka, making breakfast as she hummed a random tune from the show he was watching last night.

His mind was lost in thought. He hadn't been expecting to get a letter about Maka from her father. Especially not with death threats inside.

Tilting his head back to look at the ceiling, he chuckled softly to himself. Who knew Death Scythe could be so serious?

"He didn't even have to be so serious. I would never do anything to hurt Maka anyway." He muttered to himself.

"Have you read the letter, Soul?" Maka called from the kitchen.

Standing, Soul opened the door and entered the kitchen, plopping down on the kitchen table. "Yeah. Your dad's pretty serious."

"What did he talk about?" Maka asked, turning her emerald gaze towards him, only slightly.

"Stuff."

Maka frowned, her brows furrowing. "Wow! Really? No way. What kind of stuff?" She smirked.

"He gave me advice." Soul said, looking away.

"What kind of advice?"

"The boring kind."

"Fine!" Maka said with a sigh, grabbing the butter knife in a way that terrified Soul, "Don't tell me, then."

"He told me not to cheat on you."

A dead silence filled the kitchen, the two partners staring at each other in shock.

Slowly, seconds ticked away.

Finally, Maka began to laugh tensely. "That almost makes it sound like we're, you know, _together_."

"Heh, yeah. Crazy…I-I mean, your dad is. He's crazy." Soul stammered, laughing awkwardly too.

Their laughter carried on for a few more seconds before it faded away slowly into silence.

Maka slowly spread butter on toast, while Soul watched the butter knife swipe across the rough surface of the toasted bread.

"Man, leave it to your dad to make things awkward." Soul joked lightly.

"Soul. Did you…listen to his advice?" Maka asked, not looking up.

"What?"

"Did you listen to his advice?" Maka repeated.

"…Yeah, I did. But, Maka, I wouldn't do anything to-"

Maka cut him off. "Those are nice words, but my Papa said the same thing to my Mama. Now look at them."

The kitchen fell silent again.

"But, Soul?" Maka asked.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks. For everything." Maka smiled and looked him straight in the eyes. "Papa was being paranoid. I trust you."

Soul smiled a wide, toothy grin. "Yeah, your Dad is kinda crazy, thinkin' I would do something like that, huh?"

Maka laughed, genuinely this time. "Come on, Soul, let's eat breakfast before it gets cold."

"Yeah."

_Dear Death Scythe,_

_ Thanks for the letters. _

_Maka's been in a surprisingly good mood since you wrote her, and I have a feeling it's because of you._

_Don't give up on yourself just yet, old man. I think Maka still loves you, even if it's buried under layers of hate._

_And thanks for your letter to me, too. I don't always exactly trust myself to make the right decisions…but yeah, you were pretty spot on with my feelings for Maka and stuff._

_You won't have to worry about making me regret it if I hurt Maka._

_Because I won't._

_Not ever._

_Soul_


End file.
